20 Best Hard Rock & Heavy Metal Albums Of 2016

16. Barishi - Blood From The Lion's Mouth

The first (and only) debut album on this list, Barishi's Blood from the Lion's Mouth is a brilliantly bizarre beast, blending the two differing sub-genres of sludge and black metal and somehow not sounding like a confused mess at the end result.

Think Mastodon meets Deafheaven and you might have the beginning of the Barishi blueprint. Truth be told, this music just has to be heard to be believed, and for an underground band to sound this fully-formed and enigmatic on their debut is an amazing feat.

The nine-minute opus "The Deep" is one track that especially cannot be missed but, if you can, seek this album out in its entirety. From the metal itself to the artwork, every aspect of Blood from the Lion's Mouth feels expertly executed.

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